Game apparatus.



A. J. KRUMEICH.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1912.

1 ,O60,846. Patented May 6, 1913.

INVENTOR Toall tuhom it mag concern;

nn'rxonr :r. KRUMEIOH, or NEWARK, new annsnx.

cams Arrana'rus'.

Specification 5: Letters Patent. Application filed November 4, 1912. Serial-Ho. 728,84;- J

Be it known that I, Alimony-d. Knuairmen-,acitizen of the-United States, residingat Newark, in thecounty of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Game A ing tp be,a full, clear, and-exact description of the invention, such'as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertams to,

, the duties of a pitc er, through a manually 20. opponent through the medium of a manuoperated mechanical contrivance, to ropel a ball which can-be in'turn struck y his ally 0 rated snapping device. The snaping evice is adapted to'sendthe ballvto different points on the board, and I have provided pockets at separated points, these pockets being preferably placed'in the positions occupied by the infield and outfield players in a base-ball game. Ihave also devised a base path which connects the difi'erent stations, thatis, connects first, second and third base and the home plate, the stations in the base path being used to regulate the progress of counters or players, the base path forming a limit for the identification of hits of more value.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan of Fig; 2 is a centra section of the same,- and Fig. 3 is a detail of a guide for the bator snapping device.

The playing board 10 is preferably square so that its opposite corners can be used as the ends of a diamond, the board being .printed or otherwise suitably marked to represent a base-ball field on which are located the home plate 11, first base 12, sec- 0nd base 13 and third base 14. In a place corresponding to the pitchers box of a baseball field is a manually operated propelling device consisting of a block 16 with forwardly projecting flanges 17 which form a chute with a backwardly and downwardly inclined bottom 18 on which rests the ball 19 which is used as a projectile or ball in the game.

fi ratus; and I' do hereby declare the fo, ow-

of men on the the game board.

which is attached a cord or similarstraud which passes throughthe perforation 22 ,in the block and' is flastened at-(toneend to the s rin and has on its other end a handle 23. lan ng the home plate are-the blocks 24 and 3.0, and to one block-24 is'fastened a r aaa na we.

wire 25 which is twisted int'oa coil 26' and then extends across in the fortnofa springarm 27 which can be covered as at 28 so that 1t resembles a bat, and terminates at its end into ahook 29, the bat-thus being-{elevated above the board, To-theblbck'30 is fastened a wire bent into a strand 31fparallelwith and slightly above the surfaceof-the block so'that 1t forms a keeper, the front end 32 of which acts as a stop to limit the forward movement of the sna ping device in the form of a bat 28. In fi'ont of the sna ping device and between the propelling evice and the snapping. device is'an. inclined plate 33. I arrange suitably disposed receptacles 34 which are adapted to hold thecounters 35, which counters 'are in turn used by the opposing players to represent the progress ases.

The outfield and infield spaces are printed or colored so that they are a difierent shade from the color of the base path 36, the pre-' ferred colors being green for the outfield and infield, and a brown or bufi for the base path 36 which extends from the home late around all the bases, being widened rom first to third base, and being provided, on

the straight portions from the home plate to first and third base, with foul lines 37 Within the base path36 but outside of the line of the stations 12 13 and 14, are the pockets 38 approximately placed at the points occupied by players at infield positions, that is, first base, second base; short-stop and third base are represented by pockets, Similar pockets 39 are placed to re resent right field, center'field and left fie d, and are ap roximately in'the place of these outfield p ayers: Each pocket preferably consists of an arch made ofpasteboard which is open at the front and back but has closed sides which act to support the arch, the back of the arch being formed of pliable material forming a stop 40. these steps being preferably made of canvas strips so as to deaden the impact of the ball when it comes into a pocket, and also permitting the ball to be easily pushed from the back and ejected from the pocket. In rear of the snapping device and between the two "blocks 24 and 30 is a cup 41 which acts as a catcher and is used under certain conditions, as will be explained hereinafter. Around the board 10 I place a marginal flange 42 which can be marked'to have the appearance of a fence around a ball field.

The game is played by one player taking the position of the pitcher, and his opponent taking the position of the batter. One player grasps the handle 23 and when the ball is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and A 2, the ball is propelled toward the bat or the snapping device and the speed at which it travels must be judged by the person operating the snapping device so as to meet the ball at the proper time to send it over the board to-make a hit of some value. The speed. at which the ball travels also regulates the height the ball will have when it is engaged by the snapping device, since the plate 33 is inclined, and it might be possible for a ball to go over the plate and drop under the bet, if the snapping device is re leased too late to permit it to engage the ball. In this way it becomes largely a matter of skill and of watching and divining the intentions of the opponent. As a player proceeds he marks hls progress with the counters 35, placing them on the stations 12, 13 and 14 or on the home plate, as he makes his progress in the game. For instance, in playing the game the following rules might be used. Three strikes or three foul strikes puts the batter out. A line drive or a fly in any pocket puts the batter out. A ground ball in the infield or a foul fly in the catchers cup 41 also puts the batter out. A one-base hit, or single, as it is known, is a safe hit between or over the infield pockets, even if it afterward enters an outfield pocket. A two-base hit or double is a line drive or fly ball making its first bounce be ond the infield dirt line, that is, beyond the ine forming the boundary between the base path 36 and the outfield. A three-base hit is a line drive or a fly ball hitting the fence or marginal flange 42 with only one bounce on the ground. A home run is any safe hit that goes over the fence. Double play is a ground'ball, line drive or fly ball hit into short-stop or second base pockets with first base occupied. Triple play is a line drive into first base pocket with first and second bases occupied.

It will be understood that the rules may be altered and the above or similar sug-- gestions used as to playing the game, but the above rules are the preferred ones.

The device is cheap and the game is so constructed that it is not merely a matter of chance, but it is the skill of the opponents playing the pitcher and catcher that must be considered.

noeosae Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. A game apparatus comprising a board to represent a base-ball field, stations to represent first base, second base, third base .and home plate, a base path connecting the stations, pockets to represent the infield and outfield players in their playing positions, a manually operated propelling device in the pitchers position, a spring-actuated, manually operated snapping device at the home plate, the snapping devicebeing elevated from the plane of the board, an inclined plate in front of the snapping device, counters to be used on the stations, and a ball of a size to be used in the snapping device and in the pockets.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board to represent a base-ball field, stations to represent first base, second base, third base "andhome plate, a base path connecting the snapping device and approximately at the.

catchers station.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board having a marginal flange to form a boundary, the board being marked to represent a baseball field, stations to represent first base, second base, third base and home plate, blocks flanking the home plate, a snapping device mounted on the blocks and being elevated from the board, the snapping device havlng a spring arm to represent a bat, an

inclined plate in front of the home plate, a

chute in the pitchers box, a spring in the chute, means for tripping the spring, a ball adapted to be placed in the chute and to be propelled by the spring, pockets disposed to represent the infield and outfield players, each pocket comprising an arch with an open front and a back on each pocket of pliable material, and counters for use on the stations.

4. A game apparatus comprising a board having a marginal flange to form a boundary, the board being marked to represent a baseball field, stations to represent first base, second base, third base and home plate, blocks flanking the home plate, a snapping device mounted on the blocks and being elevated from the board, the snapping device having a spring arm to represent a bat, an

inclined plate in front of the home plate a chute in the pitchers box, a spring in t e chute, means for tripping the spring, a

\ stations, and a cup in rear of the snapping ball adapted to be placed'in the chute and to sitions, each pocket consisting of an arch be propelled by the spring, pockets disposed to represent the-infield and outfield players, each pocket comprising an arch with an open front and a back on each pocket of pliable material, counters for use on the tonal.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing,

I hereunto set my hand this ,,31st day of October, 1912. ANTHONY J. KRUMEICH.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAMFIELD',

FRANK J. KRUMEICH.

pocket, the back being made of pliable'madevice and between the blocks.

5. A game apparatus comprising a board ets resting ,on the board in the fielders powith an open. front, and a back on each 

